Empowering success in Kenya

For the estimated one million residents of Kibera, the Nairobi neighborhood that locals refer to as the largest slum in Africa, the overwhelming needs of the present make it extremely difficult to envision a future any different from today. As the USA executive director of the nonprofit Human Needs Project, Kristina Yarmolich develops partnerships and sustainable programs that empower Kibera residents to overcome poverty by providing them with the essential infrastructure they need to succeed. “We’re breaking the cycle of dependency and aid and helping people take charge of their own path,” she says.

Meeting needs under one roof

The Human Needs Project (HNP) was the inspiration of actor Connie Nielsen, who spent several months shooting the film Lost in Africa in Kibera in 2010. Nielsen was determined to improve the dire conditions there, particularly the lack of clean water, sanitation, and opportunities for advancement. She found the perfect partner and cofounder for the Human Needs Project in David Warner, BS ’76 Conservation and Resource Studies, owner of Redhorse Constructors Inc. and an expert in sustainability and construction technology.

In July 2014, they opened the Kibera Town Centre. It has a wastewater treatment and filtration system to provide residents with subsidized safe drinking water, toilets, showers, and laundry facilities. Solar panels power the Centre’s electricity and Wi-Fi. Over the past decade the Centre has added an urban farming project and a job training program. And HNP’s own banking system helps locals, especially women, access loans and gain financial freedom.

“There’s a term called time poverty,” Yarmolich says. “In slum areas, people spend lots of time walking to get water, to access education, to find jobs. There’s so much inefficiency. The idea behind Kibera Town Centre is to place all these services under one roof, so that people can save their precious time and reinvest it back into themselves, their families, and their community.”

A solid foundation

Yarmolich originally thought she’d focus on waste management when she began her studies at Berkeley. But the multidisciplinary nature of her degree broadened her interests, especially in the areas of sustainability and social justice. A project on food systems for a course with Kathryn De Master, a professor of agriculture, society, and environment, resonated deeply with Yarmolich then and reverberates for her today in HNP’s urban farming program.

“I’m from Belarus originally, and I spent a lot of time on my grandma’s farm,” Yarmolich explains. “If you wanted a salad, you went outside and picked it. The project for Kathryn looked at food supply chains and how most consumers don’t really know where their food is coming from. It was really meaningful for me.”

Through a campus connection, Yarmolich went to work for Warner, first as a projects coordinator for Redhorse Constructors before pivoting to the Human Needs Project. “Kristina’s experiences at Rausser College of Natural Resources gave her the tools to be incredibly successful in such a demanding role and environment,” Warner says. “Her skillset allows her to organize infrastructure, science, and social justice projects while also working with international institutions like the United Nations to uplift the community of Kibera.”

Rausser College students, alums, and faculty have provided ongoing support for HNP since its inception. Energy Professor Daniel Kammen is a board member and has advised HNP on energy, data, and digitization projects. Several students have conducted research for HNP on subjects ranging from microgrids to new revenue streams. And HNP has sponsored more than a dozen Kiberans to attend the College’s Beahrs Environmental Leadership Program, including Teresa Nasambu, HNP’s operations manager in Kibera.

In addition to working on fundraising and compliance and collaborating with the 40 Kibera staff, Yarmolich focuses on cultivating partnerships with corporations, nonprofits, and agencies around the world. For example, Grundfos, the world’s largest water pump manufacturer, supported HNP’s water bottling plant, the first in Kibera. The World Food Programme has provided significant funding for HNP’s urban farming project, which generated 20,000 tons of vegetables last year.

Kibera Town Centre is recouping around 40 percent of its operating expenses through these enterprises. “We’re creating these systems to be financially independent and sustainable,” Yarmolich says.

Yarmolich was honored to meet Rachel Ruto, the first lady of Kenya, and to nurture a partnership with Ruto’s organization, MaMa Doing Good. Together, the organizations plan to build five more community centers throughout Kenya. “It’s rewarding to get this level of recognition and have such an amazing partner on our side—someone on the government side to help us execute and expedite things,” Yarmolich says.

She is especially proud of spearheading the Voices of Kibera project, which aims to generate recognition, income, and opportunity for Kiberan musicians. Twenty artists each produced an original song in the Centre’s recording studio with guidance from Octopizzo, an award-winning hip-hop artist and humanitarian born in Kibera.

“I’m so fortunate to have David as a mentor to guide me and share his extensive experience,” Yarmolich says. “I’m honored to be able to do this work through such an incredible organization.”